Al Masaood Bergum delivers modular and prefab solutions to Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba
Al Masaood Bergum, and a part of Al Masaood Group, one of Abu Dhabi’s leading modular and prefabricated building solutions providers, extended support to the ongoing Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi. The festival, which showcases a range of fun-filled traditional and international festivities, will run until April 1, 2022.
Al Masaood Bergum delivered more than 50 temporary structures for the event, including ablution cabins, accessible washrooms, offices, tower lights and ticket booths. This is the second year in a row that the company played a role in the large-scale festival.
Jens Otterstedt, general ,anager, Al Masaood Bergum, said: “The Sheikh Zayed Festival is being held annually to shed light on the UAE’s history and the great achievements of our people. This makes the festival one of the most important activities in our country. Al Masaood Bergum is proud to have contributed to the hosting of this year’s event by providing our end-to-end prefab solutions that are known for their cost-effectiveness, quality, safety, environmental compliance and excellence.”
He added: “We are delighted to a play an important role in the event once again. This is in line with our commitment to promote the UAE’s uniqueness globally and advance its prosperity by promoting local culture and traditions. We look forward to supporting similar noble initiatives in the coming years.”
Being staged under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, the Sheikh Zayed Festival features grand pavilions, exhibitions, and popular folklore performances that highlight the Emirates’ history, traditions, and cultural heritage. This year, it has put the spotlight on the journey of the UAE since its establishment five decades ago.
Al Masaood Bergum provides support to mega-events such as the festival. Its customer base also comprises organisations of all sizes across sectors, as well as high net-worth individuals.
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Architecture that delivers real experiences
Stéphanie Ledoux and Reda Amalou, partner architects at Paris-based firm AW2 Architecture Workshop, discuss their first built project in Saudi Arabia— Ashar Tented Resort and why the ‘back to basics’ trend in architecture is important
BY ROMA ARORA
Could you tell us more about Ashar?
Ashar Tented Resort will provide an extraordinary place to stay in the heart of the AlUla region, which is a unique location incorporating the history, culture and heritage of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a beautiful natural, desert landscape. At Ashar we are creating the first international standard resort for AlUla, offering stunning accommodation in suites inspired by the traditional Bedouin tents. This design is an expression of the region’s past for all to discover and enjoy and provides an opportunity for the country to showcase its incredible culture and natural and historic assets. The goal is to create a communication bridge with the rest of the world, attract visitors, and allow the world to behold the beauty of this exceptional place.
Is this your first project in the region?
We already worked in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but we are excited that this will be our first built project in the country. We have also designed projects in the wider region including in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Oman. We recently completed the interior design for the Shirvan Métisse restaurant for Michelin-starred chef Akrame on the prestigious Pearl Marina in Doha, Qatar.
How was it working in Saudi Arabia and how did it differ from your previous ventures around the world?
Each project is about creating new experiences, we never compare ventures as each one is unique, entirely dependent on the qualities and history of the site and its context. Here in Ashar, we are in one of the world’s most beautiful deserts with a rich heritage and ancestral archaeological treasures. Our architecture celebrates and complements this very special place.
Where do you find design inspiration outside of architecture?
We find inspiration through our travels and getting to know each site around the world in all its complexities. This means understanding the essence of a place by discovering the local knowhow and traditions as well as by simply talking to locals. We also work closely with the client to understand the ambitions for the future project to make sure we are aligned.
What was your impression of attending and leading a round table discussion at Expo 2020’s French Pavilion?
We found that Expo 2020 presents an impressive array of architecture, design and thought-leadership. We particularly enjoyed taking part in ‘The French Approach to the Sustainable and Desirable City’ symposium through ‘The Challenges of Tourism’ roundtable, where we set out our vision for the future of the hospitality industry. Today, all developers are placing the question of balance at the top of their agendas and we feel that a sustainable approach to design, such as ours, will increasingly be adopted to achieve projects in harmony with the world around them. Stéphanie was also invited to participate in the ‘Women Designing for AlUla’ talk hosted within the AlUla exhibition at Dubai Design Week, led by Samantha Cotterell, Executive Director of Design at the Royal Commission for AlUla. This was a great opportunity for (female) designers to discuss the communal goal of showcasing the beauty of AlUla to the world.
What trends do you see coming through in the architecture / interior design space?
We have noticed a tendency, or a desire even, to return to what is essential, a sort of “back to basics”! For example: in terms of using local materials and reinterpreting traditional patterns and forms. Today, people expect a real experience, a real sense of place, and architecture is the first step to achieving this authenticity. We also feel that people are seeking more meaningful experiences through travel. A fulfilment of the mind as well as the senses.
What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the past 10 years?
There has been a really exciting change over the past ten years around travel and hospitality, whether high-end or more affordable, becoming environmentally and socially responsible. People want new hotels and resorts to have a positive relationship with local communities and environments, while also offering guests meaningful experiences and interactions with those communities and landscapes. There is growing recognition that new developments shouldn’t be “parachuted” onto a site, they should be in a form of dialogue with it, and belong to it in a sustainable way.
There’s obviously a lot of focus on sustainability now. How has that evolved?
Sustainability is now the main prism through which travellers understand and enjoy a place. In the hospitality sector, it is not only a question of how to build but also how to offer guests the possibility of observing a sustainable approach to tourism. Our bioclimatic approach to design, which we have been developing over the last 25 years, is now a given on every one of our projects. It plays an integral part in our concepts from the scale of the master plan down to the smallest details in the interiors. Examples of this include the use of local materials, sun protection, natural ventilation and limiting the use of energy. These are all essential to our design approach and are no longer considered as compromises but rather guiding principles.
Which building do you wish you had designed in the Middle East?
It is a difficult choice. We were very much impressed by the traditional Bedouin tents, which are amazingly simple but so efficient at providing shelter in the desert climate. But, if we have to choose an actual building, we would probably choose Tuwaiq Palace in Riyadh. It is an incredibly smart and beautiful building. One which tells a story unravels spaces that are open to nature and it was, although built around 40 years ago, truly sensitive to its context and environment. Its bioclimatic approach is both poetic and intelligent in a way that serves, still today, as an example.
What is your dream client or dream project?
Our dream client trusts that the design will lead the asset to success. This client understands that the design will create the experience and therefore design should be the main focus. Our dream project is one that immediately feels obvious when it has been built. This means that it creates a feeling as if it has always been there (or should always have been there). This type of dream project creates an emotional relationship with the end-user, and this is what we work towards in every one of our projects
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The FITOUT delivers total interior solutions to SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences in six months
The FITOUT has announced the delivery of complete fit-out services to luxury landmark SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences. The hotel’s more than 630 rooms were fitted out with the company’s world-class interior solutions in six months.
In 2019, The FITOUT was awarded the contract providing SLS Dubai with best-in-class services such as fit-out, joinery, customised items, headboards, doors, and architectural finishes. Considered as one of The FITOUT’s high-profile undertakings in Dubai, the project has a total built-up area of around 180,000 square meters.
Sherif Nagy, general manager of The FITOUT, said: “SLS Dubai can rely on the quality of our finished works because we fulfilled the hotel’s requirements according to the highest industry standards. Meeting globally recognised benchmarks is a norm in our organisation and results in the satisfaction of our clients across sectors, including the hospitality industry. The completion of this project illustrates our commitment to provide high-end and bespoke joinery and fit-out works in the UAE and the region. Through this initiative, we have become part of SLS Dubai’s efforts to extend the best experience and most memorable stay to its guests.”
The FITOUT also pays extreme attention to sustainability when delivering projects to its clients. Its environmental policies and management system are based on ISO 14001 standards and include measures raising the environmental awareness of its employees.
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Losberger De Boer delivers record-breaking Jeddah Superdome event venue
Losberger De Boer has delivered the record-breaking Jeddah Superdome venue in Saudi Arabia, handing over the dome’s frame three days ahead of schedule and completing the project on time despite disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeddah Superdome officially opened its doors on June 9, 2021.
Jeddah Superdome has claimed the Guinness World Records titles for the world’s largest geodesic dome and largest dome with the continuous roof. It is a multi-purpose event space and will play an integral role in the Jeddah Season events programme. From live shows, concerts and sporting events to brand activations and exhibitions, the dome will host some of the Kingdom’s stand-out events.
Although Saudi Arabia announced Jeddah Season, originally scheduled to take place in June and July 2020, plans were cancelled as part of the country’s measures to curb the coronavirus outbreak, work on the ambitious Jeddah Superdome project continued with an aim to continue the attempt to break the Guinness World Records title, and ensure it is complete when Jeddah Season returns.
In February 2020, Losberger De Boer was awarded the dome construction project by Jeddah Superdome’s operator, Sela Sports Company, the leading events management company based in Saudi Arabia. Losberger De Boer’s scope included the design and build of the structure, along with a project management and consulting role, coordinating with third-party subcontractors assigned by Sela Sports Company. In addition to manufacturing and constructing the dome’s frame, Losberger De Boer also installed the PVC covering, walls and doors.
With a diameter of 210m and offering a covered area of 34,636sqm and a surface area of 39,753sqm, the dome has a ring beam built of 326 tonnes of steel to support the structure rings.
Waleed Khaled, Losberger De Boer Middle East’s Regional Sales Director, said: “It has been an honour to work with Sela Sports Company on such a groundbreaking project. Losberger De Boer’s in-house design team along with our trusted consultant Geometrica designed the dome’s concept, working closely with the client to meet every aspect of the brief and create an events space, the likes of which have not been seen in this region before. The adaptability of the space means it can be used for any large-scale event and can be repurposed quickly and efficiently for the next event.
“Within weeks of the project commencing, the world was gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic. Movement restrictions and periods of lockdown followed. However, even while work on the majority of projects in the Kingdom stopped, Losberger De Boer continued to work onsite, adhering to government regulations and guidelines. We were able to complete the frame three days ahead of the revised schedule despite the challenging conditions and have gone on to complete the remaining works within the agreed timeframes.”
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